Knitting machine and patterning mechanism therefor



March 8, 1949. R. PEBERDY 5 KNITTING MACHINE AND PATTERNiNG MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed Jan. 22, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 /n I/enlvr Exam @aud R. PEBERDY March 8, 1949.

KNITTING MACHINE AND PATTERNING MECHANISM THEREFOR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 22, 1946 March 8, 1949. R. PEBERDY 2,463,539

KNITTING MACHINE AND PATTERNING MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed Jan. 22, 1946 r s sheets sheet s //1 van for;

Ma A m i i'orneg Patented Mar. 8, 1949 KNITTING MACHINE AND PATTERNING MECHANISM THEREFOR Roland Peherdy, Leicester, England, assignor to The Bentley Engineering Company Limited,

Leicester, England Application January 22, 1946, Serial No. 642,611 In Great Britain February 7, 1945 9 Claims. 1

The present invention comprises improvements in and relating to knitting machines, primarily circular knitting machines, and has particular application to knitting machines having means for producing fancy effects in the knitted fabric, and equipped with an auxiliary pattern chain or the equivalent from which at least some part of the patterning mechanism is controlled.

A specific object of the invention is to provide at the same time, means whereby a pattern may be set out a minimum number of times although it may be repeated many times in the production of a single article, means whereby the length of any part of an article may be varied as desired without necessitating any change in the pattern set out, means whereby the pattern chain, and other patterning mechanism controlled by it, may be brought to a definite starting place for the beginning of the pattern in each article irrespective of where the pattern finished in the previous article and means for preventing the pattern chain having any efiect on the patterning mechanism which it normally controls during the bringing of the pattern chain to the starting place.

In its broadest aspect, however, the invention provides in or fora knitting machine, patterning mechanism of the type (hereinafter referred to as being of the type specified) comprising a cyclic patterning device (such for example as a drum or chain), racking mechanism for racking it round to present successive portions of its periphery to a feeler and to move the latter in accordance with contrasting physical characteristics (such for example as the presence or absence of pins, studs or the like or a contrast in the height of such elements) at said periphery, and an operating connection extending from the feeler to efiect or control operations in accordance with the dictates of said device, characterised by a collapsible joint in said connection serving when collapsed to render it inoperative irrespective of the response of the feeler to the patterning device, and a control for collapsing and erecting said joint. Desirably this apparatus further comprises stopping means for the racking mechanism tending, when rendered operative (i. e. when prepared or prearranged for operation), to stop the patterning device when the latter reaches a predetermined point in its cycle (e. g. the starting point of the pattern), and control mechanism for rendering the stopping means operative and for collapsing the joint, and for rendering the stopping means inoperative and for erecting the joint. Therefore, when the end of the patterned length of the sock or other article has been reached, the

control mechanism comes into action and places the stopping means in condition to stop the racking of the patterning device; unless this device happens then to have reached the starting point of the pattern the stopping means does not operate immediately and racking continues until the patterning device has been racked round to the starting point but during this continued racking the collapsed joint (having been collapsed by the control mechanism when the stopping means was placed in condition to operate) prevents the patterning device from having any effect. In this manner, irrespective of the stage in the pattern at which the patterned area of the article ends, the patterning device is brought back to the starting point of the pattern ready for the next article.

The joint may comprise a lever having a fulcrum displaceable into and out of operative position (1. e. a position in which it is arranged to fulfill its functions as a fulcrum for the lever) by the control or control mechanism. Thus, with the fulcrum out of its operative position the lever becomes incapable of transmitting motion.

In order that the patterning device may be stopped temporarily, as for example during the production of a heel pouch, there may be a stopping control, independent of the control mechanism, for suspending the racking operations.

The foregoing and other features of the invention set out in the appended claims are incorporated in the mechanism which will now be described, as an example applicable to a circular knitting machine, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a front elevation of the mechanism, partly in section;

Figure 2 is an end elevation, and Figure 3 a plan, thereof; I

Figures 4 and 5 are end views showing certain details.

In the illustrated construction there are two auxiliary pattern chains l and 2. These act together as one chain and the purpose of the two chains is merely to provide four tracks for control studs. It will therefore be appreciated that a single, four-track, chain may be employed if desired, and it is to be understood that any other patterning device (such for example as a drum or drums) may be employed instead of a chain or chains although a chain has the advantage that its length may readily be altered. The chains are carried by a chain wheel 3, which is rotated intermittently by pawl-and-ratchet racking mechanism comprising a ratchet Wheel 4,

a pawl 5, a pawl-carrying lever 6 attached to a shaft 1, a lever 8 attached to the shaft l, and a rod 9 connected between oscillating mechanism such as a cam or eccentric on a running shaft of the machine and the lever 8. There is provided, for this racking mechanism, a stopping means which comprises a lever N) which is mounted freely on a rack shaft (or its equivalent) I! and has a feeler projection l2 on its limb [3 which is lifted when it is engaged by a stud on the track M of the chain l. The pawl 5 has a lateral extension l8 which overlies the limb l3 when the pawl is in its backward position. Thus, when the limb I3 is raised by a stud on the chain the pawl is also raised and prevented from engaging a tooth of the ratchet wheel; this stud is so located as to stop the chains at a starting point in their pattern lay-out.

In order to render the foregoing stopping means operative and inoperative, the following control mechanism is provided. The lever if] has a movement lengthwise of the shaft il in addition to its rocking movement. The lengthwise movement is imparted to it by the action, on its cam face i9, Fig. l, of a corresponding cam face on a part 20 which is attached to the shaft H. In the positions shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the lever I is in its extreme position to the left, that is, the cam faces have separated the two parts to the maximum extent and the projection 52 is out of line with the track l t of the chain and is incapable of responding thereto. A spring 21 serves to return the lever Hi to bring the projection I2 into line with the track id of the chain when the cam faces are brought into the appropriate position due to the rocking of the shaft I l. The latter is rocked at the appropriate times by means of a cam 35 on the main control drum 35 of the machine (see Figs. 2 and which operates a bell-crank lever 36 freely mounted on the shaft II but connected thereto by link 37, lever 38 freely mounted on shaft l, pin or roller 39, and lever fill. This mechanism results in the shaft l I being rocked through a greater angle than in the lever 36.

The tracks 55, it and ll of the chains are followed respectively by the feeler levers 22, 23 and 24 all three of which are mounted freely on the shaft ii. The levers 22 and 2t control the operation and selection of yarn changing mechanisms (being patterning mechanisms), one at the main feed point of the machine and one at a second feed point, through the links '25 and 2? respectively but instead of the connections being direct, collapsible joints are interposed incorporating the levers 2B and 36 respectively connected to the free ends of levers 22 and M. The ends 39 of the levers 28 and it rests on the surfaces 32 of the parts iii and 33 fixed to the rock shaft ii and in the positions shown in Fig. 2 and in full lines in Fig. 5 the ends 3i slide freely on and fulcrum on the surfaces 32 as the levers 22 and 24 are raised and lowered, thus the levers 22 and 2% with levers 28 and 38 act substantially as though they were solid levers rotating about the shaft 5 l. The lever 23 controls, through link 26, the operation of pattern drums associated with selecting mechanism for the knitting instruments. In this case no interposed lever corresponding to levers 28 and 30 is shown as it is not found necessary in the present application but such an arrangement could readily be used if desired. When the parts 20 and 33 are in the position shown by chain dotted lines in Fig. 5 the effect is that of the displacement of the fulcrums of the levers 28 and 30 so that the latter are able to rise and fall and if the levers 22 and 24 are then raised and lowered by the action of studs on the chain the motions will not be transmitted to mechanisms normally controlled by them.

When the patterned part of an article has been completed and the pattern chain l, 2 brought to the starting place, the lever it of the stopping means will be lying with its projection l2 resting on a chain stud, the pawl 5 being thereby prevented from engaging a tooth of the ratchet wheel At the start of the pattern a cam 35 on the main control drum will operate the lever 36 to rock shaft l and the parts 26 and 33 will thereby be raised to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 5 and at the same time the lever it will be moved to the left in Figs. 1 and 3 and the projection it will fall off the chain stud on which it has been resting. This will allow the pawl 5 to engage the teeth of the ratchet wheel 4 and the chain will begin to move forward and the various studs will operate their appropriate patterning mechanisms to produce the pattern set out.

On reaching a point where the pattern must be temporarily suspended, for example, the heel of a hose or sock, an interrupting control, independent of the control mechanism, comes into operation to suspend the racking of the chain and to stop the pattern drums which are controlled by lever 23 and link 28. This interrupting control comprises a lever it, (Fig. 2) operated on by cams on the main control drum 35, which is connected through link 25 to the lever 23, so that when lever 13 is rocked to stop the drums the lever 23 is raised. Thereby a screw ii carried by the latter makes contact with and pushes an extension 42 of the lever if! so that the lever I3 is rocked and the pawl 5 prevented from engaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel The pattern is therefore stopped during the formation of the heel. At the end of the heel the link 26 is lowered and the chain starts again from the point at which it stopped at the beginning of the heel.

Throughout the production of the patterned part of the article the stopping means is held inoperative, that is to say the lever Iii is maintained with its projection l2 out of line with the track i of the chain, so that although a chain stud may pass by the projection l2 it will not be operated by it and the pawl will continue to drive the ratchet wheel. The chain may thus make any number of complete circuits during the production of an article. t the end of the patterned part of the article the lever 36 will fall off the cam 3:. on the main control drum of the machine and the parts shown in Fig. 5 will take up the positions shown in chain dotted lines; at the same time the lever it will move to the right to bring its projection [2 into line with the chain track M so that the stopping means is placed in condition to operate. The chain will continue to advance as the pawl 5 is still engaging the teeth of the ratchet wheel but as the feeler levers 28 and 38 no longer rest on the surfaces 32 of the parts 20 and 33 any chain studs which operate levers .22 and will not have their motion transmitted to their appropriate patterning mechanisms. The chain continues to advance until the stud in track I l, marking the starting point, reaches the projection 12 on lever H] and so raises the pawl 5 and stops the chain ready for the start of the pattern in the succeeding article.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing that the chain i, 2, will normally be additional to the main chain of a seamless hose or half hose machine (or like circular knitting machine) and its length need only be sufficient to accommodate the pattern set out once or a few times (provided, of course, that it is sufficiently long to traverse with convenience round the chain wheels) since it may be racked through its cycle any desired number of times, to give any desired number of repeats of the pattern, in the production of a single article before the control mechanism (operating from the drum 35) supervenes at the end of the patterned length of fabric to render it incapable of influencing the feeder-changing mechanism or other patterning mechanism controlled by it and, simultaneously, to cause it to rack to its starting point. Furthermore, since the length of any part of an article is determined by the main chain, such length may be varied as desired without necessitating any change in the chain I, 2.

I claim:

1. For a knitting machine, patterning mechanism of the type comprising a cyclic patterning device having contrasting physical characteristics at its periphery, a feeler movable in accordance with said characteristics, racking mechanism for racking said device round through its cycle to present successive portions of its periphery to the feeler, and an operating connection extending from said feeler for effecting or controlling operations in accordance with the dictates of said device; having in combination, stopping means for the racking mechanism tending, when rendered Operative, to stop the patterning device when the latter reaches a predetermined point in its cycle, a collapsible joint in the aforesaid connection for rendering the connection inoperative, upon collapse of said joint, irrespective of the response of the feeler to the patterning device, and control mechanism for rendering the stopping means operative and for collapsing the joint, and for rendering the stopping means inoperative and. for erecting the joint.

2. For a knitting machine, patterning mechanism of the type comprising a cyclic patterning device having contrasting physical characteristics at its periphery, a feeler movable in accordance with said characteristics, racking mechanism for racking said device round through its cycle to present successive portions of its periphery to the feeler, and an operating connection extending from said ieeler for efiecting or controlling operations in accordance with the dictates of said device; having in combination a collapsible joint in said connection for rendering the connection inoperative, upon collapse of said joint, irrespective of the response of the feeler to the patterning device, and a control mechanism for collapsing and erecting said joint, which joint comprises a lever having a fulcrum displaceable into and out of operative position by the control mechanism.

3. For a knitting machine, patterning mechanism of the type comprising a cyclic patterning device having contrasting physical characteristics at its periphery, a feeler movable in accordance with said characteristics, racking mechanism for rackin said device round through its cycle to present successive portions of its periphery to the feeler, and an operating connection extending from said ieeler for efiecting or controlling operations in accordance with the dictates of said device; having in combination a collapsible joint in said connection for rendering the connection inoperative, upon collapse of said joint, irrespective of the response of the feeler to the patterning device, stopping means, for the racking mechanism, capable of being rendered operative and inoperative which stopping means comprises a portion of the patterning device and when operative is responsive to the dictates of said portion to stop said device at a predetermined point in the cycle, and control mechanism for rendering the stopping means incapable of response to the dictates of said portion of the patterning device and for erecting the joint and for rendering the stopping means capable of said response and for collapsing the joint.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3, having a feeler in the stopping means for cooperating with said portion, and means on the control mechanism for moving the feeler into and out of operative position.

5. For a knitting machine, patterning mechanism comprising a cyclic patterning device having a plurality of tracks, a feeler for responding to each track, pawl and ratchet mechanism for racking the device round through its cycle, stopping means tendin when operative to stop the device when it reaches a predetermined point in its cycle, which means includes one of the tracks and feelers and a connection from the latter for stopping the racking, a connection from another of the feelers for eifecting other operations in accordance with the dictates of another of the tracks, which connection includes a collapsible joint which when collapsed renders the response of the associated feeler ineffective, a control mechanism, for startin the racking by rendering the stopping means inoperative and for erecting the joint, and for rendering the stopping means operative and for collapsing the joint whereby the patterning device racks idly round to the predetermined point in its cycle, and interrupting means for interrupting the racking while the stopping means is inoperative.

6. For a knitting machine, patterning mechanism of the type comprising a cyclic patterning device having contrasting physical characteristics at its periphery, a feeler movable in accordance with said characteristics, racking mechanism for racking said device round through its cycle to present successive portions of its periphery to the feeler, and an operating connection extending from said feeler for efiecting or controlling operations in accordance with the dictates of said device; having in combination a collapsible joint in said connection for rendering the connection inoperative, upon collapse of said joint, irrespective of the response of the feeler to the patterning device, stopping means, for the racking mechanism, capable of being rendered operative and inoperative and tending when rendered operative to stop the patterning device when the latter reaches a predetermined phase in its cycle, control mechanism for rendering the stopping means operative and for collapsing the joint, and for rendering the stopping means inoperative and for erecting the joint, and an interrupting control, independent of the control mechanism, for suspending the racking operations.

7. For a knittin machine, patterning mechanism of the type comprising a cyclic patterning device having contrasting physical characteristics at its periphery, a feeler movable in accordance with said characteristics, racking mechanism for rackin said device round through its cycle to present successive portions of its periphery to the ieeler, and an operating connection extending from said feeler for effecting or controlling operations in accordance with the dictates of said device; having in combination a collapsible joint in said connection for rendering the connection inoperative, upon collapse of said 'joint,irrespective of the response of thefeeler to thepatterning devicewhich joint comprises a lever having a fulcrum displaceable into and out of operative position, and controlmechanism forshifting the fulcrum, which control mechanism comprises a rock member carrying the fulcrum.

8. Fora knitting machine, patterning mechanism of the type comprising a cyclic patterning device having contrasting physical characteristics at its periphery, La feeler movable in accordance withsaid characteristics, racking mechanism for racking said device round through its cycle to present successive portions of its periphery to the feeler, and an operating connection extending fromsaid .feeler'for effecting 'or controllin operations in accordance with the dictates of said device; having in combination a collapsible joint in said connection for rendering the connection inoperativeyupon 'collapse'of said joint, irrespective of the response of the feeler to the pattern- .ing device, which joint comprises a lever having a fulcrum .displaceable into and out of operative position, racking-mechanism stopping means, capable of beingrenderedoperative and'inoperative, for stopping the patterning device at a predetermined point in the cycle, and control mechanism .for rendering the stopping-means operative and for collapsing the joint, and for rendering the stopping 'means inoperative and for erecting the joint, which control mechanism comprises a rock member carrying the fulcrum and movable to shift the latter and to render the stoppingmeans operative and inoperative.

9. A circular knitting machine, having a main control drum; patterning mechanism comprising a :cyclic patterning device, additional to said point in its cycle, which means includes one of the tracks'and feelers and a connection from the latter for'stopping'the racking, a connection from another of'the feelers for effecting other operations in accordance with the dictates of another of the tracks, which connection includes a collapsible joint which when collapsed renders the response of theassociatedtfeeler ineffective, a

control mechanism, f or starting the racking by rendering the'stopping means inoperative and for erecting the Joint-and for rendering the stopping -means operative and for collapsing the joint whereby the patterning 'd'evice racks idly round to the predetermined point in its cycle, and interrupting meansifor interrupting the racking while the stopping means'is inoperative; and'operating connections extendin from said main drumfor operatingthe-control mechanism and the interrupting means.

ROLAND PEBERDY.

REFERENCES CITED "The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1337,4293 'Kimes Apr. 27, 1915 1,759,295 Bentley May 90, 1930 1,763,378 Tait et'al. June 10, 1930 2,062,926 Page et a1. Dec. 1, 1936 

